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(No Model.) J. A KRAKE. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Y Grain Separator. N Patented Jan. 4,1881.

EM a/ 1 11 2 v Zr Z52 ya 91 734 7 r Em m A RM KA ql An 5 G 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 4,1881.

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8. WASHINGTON. n10:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. KRAKE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WM. F.-MILLER, OF SAMEPLACE.

GRAlN-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,340, dated January4:,- 1881.

Application filed May 28, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN A. KRAKE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Buffalo,

Erie county, New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Grain- Separators; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanyin g drawings, in which to Figure 1 is acentral longitudinal vertical section of the machine. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section, in line 00 00, through the fan-case. Fig. 3 is arear elevation of the fan-case. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and are detailviews.

My improvement relates to grain-separators in which the fan-case isdivided into sections, with air-supplying passages between, and in whichseparate short fans are used in the several sections, whereby a moreequal and uniform blast is produced through the machine.

The invention consists in the combination, with the separate sections ofthe fan-case and the fans resting therein, of a dividing-board locatedbetween the sections, formingheads to the same, and serving to producesuction in the sections.

It also consists in an improved construction and arrangement of thesprings which hold the lower shoe; also, in the arrangement of 0 partsfor giving a vertical vibration to the outer end of said shoe; also, tocertain other devices, which will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the ordinary 5 casing of the machine. B isthe fan-case, and

O is the hopper.

The fan-case, instead of being made in a single unbroken length, as inordinary machines, is made in two or more short sections,

40 B B, with intervening passages to between them, as shown in Figs. 2-and 3; and the fan,,instead of being made in a single long fan, asusual, is made in a series of two or more short fans, 1) D, said fansbeing attached 5 to the same shaft E, and resting in the said sectionsof the fan-case. By thus dividing the fan-case into sections and leavingair-passages between them, and by using short fans in said sections, theair is fed into and in contact with the fans equally the whole length ofthe case,

and the blast which is produced is equal in in- (No model.)

tensity throughout the whole cross-area of the machine. By this means invery large machines a uniform and equal blast can be maintained. Thegreatdifficulty in ordinary machines is, that the fan-case, being in asingle length, and the air entering only at the ends, the center of thefan is imperfectly supplied and the blast is weaker at the center thanat the sides of the machine. The spaces or pas- 6o sages a between thesections of the fan-case are of such capacity as to admit a full volumeof air, and between each two sections is a dividing-board, G, in whichis formed a circular opening corresponding with that in the 6 5 outerend of the fan-case. This dividing-board serves as a partition betweenthe sections, and

a head sufficient to form a vacuum and direct the air inward to the fan.

H is a directing-board in front of the fancase, which directs the blastupward, and I is a similar directing-board midway of the height of thescreen-chamber. The dividing-boardsG rest on top the dir cting-board H,being fastened thereto and also to the top of the ma 7 5 chine, and theboard I is notched into the edge of the board G, as shown at b, Fig. 1,by which means the whole structure is stiffened and held in place.

K Kare wings forming wind-boards, attached to the directing-board H onopposite sides of the dividing-board G. They are set angularly, as shownin Fig.2, the outer ends diverging and inner ones converging, by whichmeans each wing takes a portion of the blast 8 5 impelled by the fan andconcentrates it at its front end, so that as the blast passes the edgeof the board G it will be driven toward the center. The currents fromthese two wings, uniting at the center immediately in front of 0 theboard Gr, prevent any deadening of the blast at that point, which mightotherwise occur by reason of the board G dividing the blasts from thetwo fans and deflecting them to one side, thereby weakening the actionin 5 the center. These wings have special relation to an apparatus wheretwo or more fans are employed, with a partition between the fans, asabove described.

0 c are angular blocks filling the spaces at the junction of thedividing-board G with the heads or rims of the case bounding theairpassages a a, and serving to prevent the settling of dead air oreddies therein.

J is the lower shoe, the upper one and its screens not being shown inthe drawings. The shoe J rests on springs L L at the four corners in amanner similar to that shown in my patent of January (3, 1680. Thesesprings are flat springs attached to bearings M M, fastened to the sidesof the case, the front ends of the springs having eyes through whichpass pins projecting from the shoe, so that the shoe can be raised orlowered on the springs. The ends of the bearings M have spurs d d, whichindent in the wood and hold the bearings firmly in place in connectionwith the screws which pass through the ends.

Heretofore some difficulty has been experienced from the breaking of thesprings at the point where they pass over the edge of the bearings. Iremedy this difficulty by the following means:

9 is a block or follower, which rests between the Spring and thecross-bar h of the bearing. The follower has side lugs, 2' 2', at oneend, which fit in sockets of the bearing to prevent the follower fromfalling out. The inner or under side of the follower, also the innerface of the bearing, is made hollowing, as shown atj, Fig. 4, so thatthe spring which rests between will have a space in which to press outand in. The end of the spring at the rear rests loosely between the endof the follower (held up by the lugs i i) and the top of the hearing, sothat said end may move freely out and in, and yet be retained closely inplace. At the front end, where the spring passes over the edge of thebearing, is a sharp edge, 7:, on the bearing, and a eorrespomling sharpedge, on the end of the follower. the two sharp edges clamping thespring and leaving it free of contact at all other parts. The followeris clamped down by a key, N, inserted between its back and the cross-barh of the bearing.

The operation is as follows: As the long end of the spring vibrates fromside to side with the shoe, the spring will simply have a rolling orturning motion between the two sharp edges, is It, which form thefulcrum. The inner end of the spring, which rests within the hearing,has a certain degree of lateral play in the hollow j of the follower,and the extremity of the spring, which rests between the rear end of thefollower and the bearing, being free and unimpeded endwise, can move outand in to compensate for the binding of the sprin By this means there islittle liability of the breaking of the spring, as the only holdingcontact is at the edges L k. Ordinarily the spring has been clamped fastbetween the follower and bearing a considerable distance, and breakageoccurs at the point where the spring passes over the bearing.

A vertical jarring motion is given to the rear end of the shoeJ by thefollowing means:

I is acleat or cross-bar secured on the under side of the shoe. m is ajolting-bar pivoted to this cleat, and hanging down vertically. Thelower end of the jolting-bar is provided with a slot, at. 0 is a barattached to the case A by a bolt, 1', which forms a pivot. The oppositeend has an enlarged head, in which is a slot, 8, and on the under sideare ratchet-teeth z. u is a block resting under the head and secured tothe casing, and also provided with ratchet-teeth it, into which theteeth t engage. The ends of the block a on the under side are providedwith spurs e c, which strike into the wood to hold the block in place.20 is a bolt attached to the case, which passes up through a hole in theblock, and also through the slot 8, and has a thumb-nut screwing on theouter end, by which means the head is clamped down fast on the block.

By the means above described the bar 0, turning on the pivot r, can beadjusted higher or lower at the outer end, and retained at anyadjustmentby the bolt and nut 10. The bar is bentso as to stand out from the wood,and on its under side it has a round stud, 0, which fits in the slot nof thejolting-bar in.

The operation is as follows: As the shoe is vibrated laterally the'olting'bar in will be rocked to and fro and toward the center of thestroke, bearing upon the stud c. It will raise the shoe upward as itpasses the dead-point, and will then fall again. By this means avertical toss or jar will be given to the shoe at every stroke, which iseffective in stirring up the grain and working it down over the screens,and also in clearing the meshes of the screens of such grains as mayclog. 13y raising the bar 0 more or less, a correspondingiincreased orlessened vertical throw may be given to the shoe, and by lowering thebar to such an extent as to free the jolting-bar from the stud c, theshoe may be allowed simply 'to vibrate horizontally without having anyvertical throw imparted to it. An important feature is, that whatevermay be the height to which vertical throw is given the shoe by theadjustment of the bar, as described, the vertical movement comes only atthe moment the jolting-ba r approaches a vertical position, and then thethrow is almost instantaneous, after which the shoe simply receives ahorizontal movement, this action being much more effectual than thatwhere a rolling and long-continued vertical motion is given.

It is the adjustable slide in the hopper, for gaging the flow of thegrain to the screens. lts edges are V-shaped and run in correspondinggrooves of the frame.

S is a lever on the under side of the slide, having its fulcrum at m, ona stationary part outside the slide. The lever passes through a loop orhearing, y, of the slide, and extends through the side of the case A. Onthe outside of the case A is a ratchet-plate, q, and on the end of thelever b is a tooth, 2, which engages with the ratchet-plate at anyheight to which it is raised. By raising the lever on the outside theslide R will be raised with it and it can be retained at any adjustmentby the means described. I The handle of the lever comes on the side thatthe operator stands, so that he can turn the crank and regulate theslide at the same time.

T, Fig. 10, is the vertical rock-shaft used for imparting the vibratorymotion to the shoes. U is the pitman connecting said rock-shaft with thecrank-wheel V.

W is a joint-piece connecting the end of the pitman with the rock-shaft.This joint-piece consists of the flanged casting a which is screwed tothe rock-shaft, and a block, b which is pivoted at c to the casting, soas to turn horizontally, and has at its outer end an eye, W, in whichthe end of the pitman turns vertically. By this means a double-jointaction is attained, which prevents the binding and strain which occurswhere the end of the pitman is hooked, and simply enters a socket or eyeof the casting. This device allows free motion, both horizontally andvertically, so that no strain can occur. The flange which fits therock-shaft has a central pin, f which enters a hole in the rock-shaftand assists the screws in holding the parts fast together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the fan-case made in separate sections, andseparate fans resting in said sections, the dividing-boards G, locatedbetween the sections of the fan-case, forming heads to the same,provided with openings to admit air to the sections, and serving toproduce suction in the sections, as herein shown and described.

'2. In a grain-separator having its fan-case made in separate sections,with separate fans resting in the sections, the dividing-board G, havingits inner portion in a single thickness, and its outer portion in twoseparate thicknesses, with an air-passage between, said board formin g acomplete head to the two sections, and allowing air to be supplied toboth sections by entering between the two thicknesses at the rear, asherein shown and described.

3. In combination with the separate sections B B of the fan-case, andthe separate fans D D, resting therein, the directing-board H, extendinginward from the fan-case and beneath the same, and the two angular wingsK K on the directing-board, converging centrally between the sections,whereby the currents which are drawn in opposite directions and awayfrom the center of the machine by the twotans will be forced forwardtoward the center by the wings, as herein shown and described.

4.. In a grain-separator, the combination of the directing-boards H andI and the vertical dividing-boards G, the upper directing-board, I,being notched into and supported by the boards'G, as herein shown anddescribed.

5. Ina grain-separator, the bearing M and follower g, constructed at thefront end with the sharp-edged bearings k, for clamping and holdingthespring L, and the hollow or concave faces j, to allow free play ofthe end of the spring between them, the rear end of the spring beingfree to move endwise, as herein shown and described.

6. The combination of the follower 9, provided with the lateral lugs it,and the bearing IVI, constructed with corresponding lateral sockets toreceive the lugs, the whole so arranged, as described, as to leave anopening between the follower and bearing for the free passage of the endof the spring L, as specified.

7. In a grain-separator, the combination, with the shoe J, of thepivoted jolting-bar m, attached thereto, and a hearing or stud, e, uponwhich the jolting-bar rests, said bearing being made adjustable higheror lower, to change the vertical throw of the machine without increasingthe length of vibration, as herein shown and described.

8. In a grain-separator, the combination of the pivoted jolting-bar mand bar 0, said bar 0 being adjustable higher or lower, and providedwith a bearing or stud, 6, upon which the jolting-bar rests, as and forthe purpose specified.

9. In a grain-separator, the combination of the jolting-bar m, providedwith a slotted lower end, the lever 0, provided with a stud, 0, restingin the slot of the jolting-bar, a head upon the end of the leverprovided with teeth t, which engage with corresponding teeth t of ablock, a, and the bolts 1" to, one forming the pivot, and the other aclamp, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

10. In a grain-separator, the combination, with the hopper-slide R, ofthe lever S, pivoted at one end to a stationary part of the machine,passing through a loop or bearing of the slide, projecting through thecase, and having at the outer end a tooth, 2, which engages with aratchet-plate, q, for the purpose of raising and holding the slide atany adjustment, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. KRAKE.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, R. E. WHITE.

IIO

